Equal parts gallery, wine bar and taxidermy shop, this bohemian outpost near the waterfront embodies Cherbourg's most creative side. Stop in for a look at the changing artwork for sale, chat with the quirky owner, and enjoy an evening tipple amid half-deflated balloons, stuffed foxes and wildly eclectic tunes played on vinyl (from alt rock to old French marching songs).
Le Ballon Rouge
Normandy
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.46 MILES
Cherbourg’s art-deco Gare Maritime Transatlantique (Transatlantic Ferry Terminal), built from 1928 to 1933, was designed so travellers could walk from…
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Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin
27.25 MILES
Inland from Utah Beach, to the south and southwest, is the 1480-sq-km Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, a vast expanse of…
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26.68 MILES
This well-cared for museum, run by volunteers, does a fine job of telling the story of Alderney – from original Neolithic settlements going back 10,000…
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27.13 MILES
Some 500m down a country lane behind the airport, this faded plaque and a pair of concrete gates mark the entrance to the former SS Lager Sylt – the only…
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26.65 MILES
Surrounded by moss-covered, centuries-old gravestones, this handsome Victorian-era church was designed by George Gilbert Scott, a prolific 19th-century…
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26.33 MILES
This is Alderney's largest bay and one of the island's most attractive beaches – white sand, calm and clear blue waters, and plenty of room to lay your…
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25.58 MILES
With five main plaques in Russian, Hebrew, Polish, French and Spanish, this sombre memorial commemorates the slaves and forced labourers, brought to…
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27.31 MILES
Picturesquely covered in creeping vines, this 19th-century fort wouldn't look out of place in some Victorian romance novel, if it weren't for the barred…
Nearby Normandy attractions
0.46 MILES
Cherbourg’s art-deco Gare Maritime Transatlantique (Transatlantic Ferry Terminal), built from 1928 to 1933, was designed so travellers could walk from…
25.07 MILES
This black-and-white lighthouse has been standing sentinel over Alderney's east coast since 1912. During the warmer months, you can join a Sunday tour,…
25.19 MILES
On a hill overlooking the Mannez Quarry, and looking a bit like a giant toaster on its side, the Odeon is a German naval range-finding tower with 360…
25.33 MILES
The only beach on the south coast, Longis used to be Alderney's main harbour some 300 years back. Between June and September, Alderney Wildlife Trust has…
5. Musée du Débarquement de Utah Beach
25.44 MILES
This impressive museum is a few kilometres inland from the US landings at Utah Beach. Guided tours of the museum and of the landing site can be arranged…
25.47 MILES
This sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay wears two hats: on most days, its tranquil waters and white sand attract sun worshippers and swimmers, but some days,…
25.58 MILES
With five main plaques in Russian, Hebrew, Polish, French and Spanish, this sombre memorial commemorates the slaves and forced labourers, brought to…
25.74 MILES
This long, dune-backed beach is ideal for rockpooling, swimming and sunbathing.